Morgan State University Transfer Student Policy

I. Students Transferring from Maryland Public Institutions of Higher Education- This

section does NOT apply to students who are transferring from Maryland private and from

non-Maryland institutions of higher education (both public and private). Authority:

Education Article §§1-201-11-206, Annotated Code of Maryland; COMAR 13B.06.

A. General Education Requirements for Public Institutions.

1. While public institutions have the autonomy to design their general education program to

meet their unique needs and mission, that program shall conform to the definitions and

common standards in COMAR 13B.06. According to the regulations, a public institution

shall satisfy the general education requirement by:

a. Requiring each program leading to the A.A. or A.S. degree to include not less than 30 and

not more than 36 semester hours, and each baccalaureate degree program to include not

less than 40 and not more than 46 semester hours of required core courses, with the core

requiring, at a minimum, course work in each of the following five areas:

(1) Arts and humanities,

(2) Social and behavioral sciences,

(3) Biological and physical sciences,

(4) Mathematics, and

(5) English composition; or

b. Conforming with COMAR 13B.02.02.16D(2)(b)-(c).

2. General education programs of public institutions shall require at least:

a. One course in each of two disciplines in arts and humanities;

b. One course in each of two disciplines in social and behavioral sciences;

c. Two science courses, at least one of which shall be a laboratory course;

d. One course in mathematics at or above the level of college algebra; and

e. One course in English composition.

3. Interdisciplinary and Emerging Issues.

a. In addition to the five required areas in §I.A.1.a. of the Transfer Student Policy ("Policy"),

a public institution may include up to 8 semester hours in a sixth category that addresses

emerging issues that institutions have identified as essential to a full program of general

education for their students. These courses may:

(1) Be integrated into other general education courses or may be presented as separate

courses; and

(2) Include courses that:

(a) Provide an interdisciplinary examination of issues across the five areas.

(b) Address other categories of knowledge, skills, and values that lie outside of the five

areas.

b. Public institutions may not include the courses in this section in a general education

program unless they provide academic content and rigor equivalent to the areas in §1.A.1.a.

of this Policy.

4. General education programs leading to the A.A.S. degree shall include at least 20

semester hours from the same course list designated by the sending institution for the AA

and A.S. degrees. The A.A.S. Degree shall include at least one 3-semester-hour course from

each of the five areas listed in §I.A.1.a. Of this Policy.

5. A course in a discipline listed in more than one of the areas of general education may be

applied only to one area of general education.

6. A public institution may allow a speech communication or foreign language course to be

part of the arts and humanities category.

7. Composition and literature courses may be placed in the arts and humanities area if

literature is included as part of the content of the course.

8. Public institutions may not include physical education skills courses as part of the general

education requirements.

9. General education courses shall reflect current scholarship in the discipline and provide

reference to theoretical frameworks and methods of inquiry appropriate to academic

disciplines.

10. Courses that are theoretical may include applications, but all applications courses shall

include theoretical components if they are to be included as meeting general education

requirements.

11. Public institutions may incorporate knowledge and skills involving the use of

quantitative data, effective writing, information retrieval, and information literacy when

possible in the general education program.

12 Notwithstanding §I.A.1.a. of this Policy, a public 4-year institution may require 48

semester hours of required core courses if courses upon which the institution's curriculum

is based carry 4 semester hours.

13. Public institutions shall develop systems to ensure that courses approved for inclusion

on the list of general education courses are designed and assessed to comply with the

requirements of this Policy.

B. Transfer of General Education Credit

1. A student transferring to Morgan State University ("Morgan") from another Maryland

public institution of higher education ("Maryland public institution") shall receive general

education credit for work completed at the student's sending institution as provided by this

Policy.

2. A completed general education program shall transfer without further review or approval

by Morgan and without the need for a course-by-course match.

3. Courses that are defined as general education by the sending institution shall transfer as

general education even if Morgan does not have that specific course or has not designated

that course as general education.

4. Morgan shall give lower-division general education credits to a transferring student who

has taken any part of the lower-division general education credits described in §I.A. of this

Policy at a Maryland public institution for any general education courses successfully

completed at the sending institution.

5. Except as provided in §I.A.12 of this Policy, Morgan may not require a transfer student

who has completed the requisite number of general education credits at any Maryland

public institution to take, as a condition of graduation, more than 10-16 additional semester

hours of general education and specific courses required of all students at the receiving

institution, with the total number not to exceed 46 semester hours. This provision does not

relieve students of the obligation to complete specific academic program requirements or

course prerequisites required by Morgan.

6. A sending institution shall designate on or with the student transcript those courses that

have met its general education requirements, as well as indicate whether the student has

completed the general education program.

7. A.A.S. Degrees.

a. While there may be variance in the numbers of hours of general education required for

AA, AS, and A.A.S. Degrees at a given institution, the courses identified as meeting general

education requirements for all degrees shall come from the same general education course

list and exclude technical or career courses.

b. An A.A.S. student who transfers into Morgan with fewer than the total number of general

education credits designated by Morgan shall complete the difference in credits according to

the distribution as designated by Morgan. Except as provided in §I.A.12. of this Policy, the

total general education credits for Morgan may not exceed 46 semester hours.

8. Student Responsibilities. A student is held:

a. Accountable for the loss of credits that:

(1) Result from changes in the student's selection of the major program of study,

(2) Were earned for remedial course work, or

(3) Exceed the total course credits accepted in transfer as allowed by this Policy.

b. Responsible for meeting all requirements of the academic program of Morgan.

C. Transfer of Non-general Education Program Credit.

1. Credit earned at any public institution in the State is transferable to Morgan if the:

a. Credit is from a college or university parallel course or program;

b. Grades in the block of courses transferred average 2.0 or higher; and

c. Acceptance of the credit is consistent with Morgan's policies governing students following

the same program.

2. Credit earned in or transferred from a community college is limited to:

a. 1/2 the baccalaureate degree program requirement, but may not be more than 70

semester hours; and

b. The first two (2) years of the undergraduate education experience.

D. Nontraditional Credit.

1. The assignment of credit for AP, CLEP, or other nationally recognized standardized

examination scores presented by transfer students is determined according to the same

standards that apply to native students at Morgan, and the assignment shall be consistent

with the State minimum requirements.

2. Transfer of credit from the following areas shall be consistent with COMAR 13B.02.02.

and shall be evaluated by Morgan on a course-by-course basis:

a. Technical courses from career programs;

b. Course credit awarded through articulation agreements with other segments or agencies;

c. Credit awarded for clinical practice or cooperative education experiences; and

d. Credit awarded for life and work experiences.

3. The basis for the awarding of the credit shall be indicated on the student's transcript by

the receiving institution (Morgan).

4. Morgan shall inform a transfer student of the procedures for validation of course work for

which there is no clear equivalency. Examples of validation procedures include ACE

recommendations, portfolio assessment, credit through challenge, examinations, and

satisfactory completion of the next course in sequence in the academic area.

5. The receiving baccalaureate degree-granting institution (Morgan) shall use validation

procedures when a transferring student successfully completes a course at the lower

division level that Morgan offers at the upper division level. The validated credits earned for

the course shall be substituted for the upper division course.

E. Program Articulation.

1. Recommended transfer programs shall be developed through consultation between the

sending institution and Morgan. A recommended transfer program represents an

agreement between the two institutions that allows students aspiring to the baccalaureate

degree to plan their programs. These programs constitute freshman/ sophomore level

course work to be taken at the community college in fulfillment of Morgan's lower division

course work requirement.

2. Recommended transfer programs in effect on September 3, 1996, which conform to this

Policy, may be retained.

F. Academic Success and General Well-being of Transfer Students.

1. Sending Institutions.

a. Community colleges shall encourage their students to complete the Associate degree or to

complete 56 hours in a recommended transfer program which includes both general

education courses and courses applicable toward the program at the receiving institution.

b. Community college students are encouraged to choose as early as possible the institution

and program into which they expect to transfer.

c. The sending institution shall:

(1) Provide to community college students information about the specific transferability of

courses at 4-year colleges;

(2) Transmit information about transfer students who are capable of honors work or

independent study to the receiving institution; and

(3) Promptly supply the receiving institution with all the required documents if the student

has met all financial and other obligations of the sending institution for transfer.

2. Receiving Institutions (Morgan).

a. Admission requirements and curriculum prerequisites shall be stated explicitly in

institutional publications.

b. Morgan shall admit transfer students from newly established public colleges that are

functioning with the approval of the Maryland Higher Education Commission on the same

basis as applicants from regionally accredited colleges.

c. Morgan shall evaluate the transcript of a degree-seeking transfer student as expeditiously

as possible, and notify the student of the results not later than mid-semester of the student's

first semester of enrollment at Morgan, if all official transcripts have been received at least

15 working days before mid-semester. Morgan shall inform a student of the courses which

are acceptable for transfer credit and the courses which are applicable to the student's

intended program of study.

d. Morgan shall give a transfer student the option of satisfying institutional graduation

requirements that were in effect at Morgan at the time the student enrolled as a freshman at

the sending institution. In the case of major requirements, a transfer student shall satisfy

the major requirements in effect at the time when the student was identified as pursuing the

recommended transfer program at the sending institution. These conditions are applicable

to a student who has been continuously enrolled at the sending institution. For the purpose

of this subsection d only, continuous enrollment is defined as a student who has officially

registered for at least one course and has not dropped all of the student's course(s) or

withdrawn from school during any given semester.

G. Programmatic Currency.

1. Morgan shall provide to the community college current and accurate information on

recommended transfer programs and the transferability status of courses. Community

college students shall have access to this information.

2. Recommended transfer programs shall be developed with each community college

whenever new baccalaureate programs are approved by the degree-granting institution.

3. When considering curricular changes, institutions shall notify each other of the proposed

changes that might affect transfer students. An appropriate mechanism shall be created to

ensure that both 2-year and 4-year public colleges provide input or comments to the

institution proposing the change. Sufficient lead time shall be provided to effect the change

with minimum disruption. Transfer students are not required to repeat equivalent course

work successfully completed at a community college.

H. Transfer Mediation Committee.

1. There is a Transfer Mediation Committee, appointed by the Secretary of the Maryland

Higher Education Commission, which is representative of the pubic 4-year colleges and

universities and the community colleges.

2. Sending and receiving institutions that disagree on the transferability of general

education courses as defined by COMAR 13B.06.01 shall submit their disagreements to the

Transfer Mediation Committee. The Transfer Mediation Committee shall address general

questions regarding existing or past courses only, not individual student cases, and shall

also address questions raised by institutions about the acceptability of new general

education courses. As appropriate, the Committee shall consult with faculty on curricular

issues.

3. The findings of the Transfer Mediation Committee are considered binding on both

parties.

I. Appeal Process

1. Notice of Denial of Transfer Credit by Morgan

a. Except as provided in §I.I.1.b below of this Policy, Morgan shall inform a transfer student

in writing of the denial of transfer credit not later than mid-semester of the transfer

student's first semester, if all official transcripts have been received at least 15 working days

before mid-semester.

b. If transcripts are submitted after 15 working days before mid-semester of a student's first

semester, Morgan shall inform the student of credit denied within 20 working days of

receipt of the official transcript.

c. Morgan shall include in the notice of denial of transfer credit:

(1) A statement of the student's right to appeal; and

(2) A notification that the appeal process is available in the institution's catalog.

(3) The statement of the student's right to appeal the denial shall include notice of the time

limitations in §I.2 of this regulation.

2. A student believing that Morgan has denied the student transfer credits in violation of

this Policy may initiate an appeal by contacting the Transfer Coordinator or the Dean for the

school or college in which the student's major is located (or the Dean for the College of

Liberal Arts where no major has been declared) within 20 working days of receiving notice

of the denial of credit.

3. Response by Morgan.

a. Morgan shall:

(1) Establish expeditious and simplified procedures governing the appeal of a denial of

transfer of credit;and

(2) Respond to a student's appeal within 10 working days.

b. Morgan may either grant or deny an appeal. Morgan's reasons for denying the appeal

shall be consistent with this Policy and conveyed to the student in written form.

c. Unless a student appeals to the sending institution,the written decision constitutes

Morgan's final decision and is not subject to appeal.

4. Appeal to Sending Institution.

a. If a student has been denied transfer credit after an appeal to Morgan, the student may

request the sending institution to intercede on the student's behalf by contacting the

transfer coordinator of the sending institution.

b. A student shall make an appeal to the sending institution within 10 working days of

having received the decision of Morgan.

5. Consultation Between Sending and Receiving Institutions.

a. Representatives of the two institutions shall have 15 working days to resolve the issues

involved in an appeal.

b. As a result of a consultation in this section, Morgan may affirm, modify, or reverse its

earlier decision.

c. Morgan shall inform a student in writing of the result of the consultation.

d. The decision arising out of a consultation constitutes the final decision of Morgan and is

not subject to appeal.

J. Periodic Review.

1. Report by Receiving Institution.

a. A receiving institution shall report annually the progress of students who transfer from 2-

year and 4-year institutions within the State to each community college and to the Secretary

of the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

b. An annual report shall include ongoing reports on the subsequent academic success of

enrolled transfer students, including graduation rates, by major subject areas.

c. A receiving institution shall include in the reports comparable information on the

progress of native students.

2. Transfer Coordinator. A public institution of higher education shall designate a transfer

coordinator, who serves as a resource person to transfer students at either the sending or

receiving campus. The transfer coordinator is responsible for overseeing the application of

the policies and procedures outlined in COMAR 13B.06.01 and interpreting transfer policies

to the individual student and to the institution.

3. The Maryland Higher Education Commission shall establish a permanent Student

Transfer Advisory Committee that meets regularly to review transfer issues and recommend

policy changes as needed. The Student Transfer Advisory Committee shall address issues of

interpretation and implementation of COMAR 13B.06.01.

II. All Other Transfer Students - The following provisions apply to students who are

transferring from Maryland private institutions of higher education and from non-Maryland

institutions of higher education (both public and private).

A. General Requirements

1. Students transfer ring from private colleges and universities in Maryland and from non-

Maryland colleges and universities will have their official college transcripts evaluated once

they have received notice from the University's Director of Admission that they have been

admitted to the University.

2. The evaluation of transfer credit is the responsibility of the Transfer Coordinator, for the

School/College in which the transfer student's major is located.

3. The responsibility for the evaluation of the transcripts of transfer students who are

undecided about their major rests with the Transfer Coordinator for the College of Liberal

Arts.

4. In general, the assignment of equivalent course credit or free elective course credit

involves a course by course evaluation and comparison of courses on the student's transcript

from the sending institution with appropriate courses offered at Morgan.

5. Transfer Coordinators may consult with the chairperson or coordinator of a discipline or

program regarding the final determination of course and/or credit transferability.

6. The University will typically accept for credit college level courses (i.e., non-remedial

and/or non-developmental courses) in which the student has earned grades of "C" or better

from a regionally accredited college or university.

7. Students from non-Maryland community colleges may transfer up to a maximum of 70

credits. Students from non-Maryland 4-year institutions of higher education may transfer

up to a maximum of 90 credits.

8. Transfer students must earn their final 30 hours at the University. Two thirds of the

major requirements at the 300 or 400 level must be completed while the student is enrolled

at the University.

9. All transfer students must satisfy the Writing Proficiency and Speech Proficiency

examinations as well as complete all School/College graduation requirements while enrolled

at the University.

10. Students shall be governed by the academic requirements in effect at the time they

transferred to the University. Students who change their major after transferring to Morgan

must satisfy the academic requirements in effect at the time when they changed their major.

11. The Dean for each School or College within the University appoints the Transfer

Coordinators for his or her School/College. Students who have questions about the transfer

of courses and/or credit are encouraged to contact the Dean's office in which their major is

located in order to meet with the Transfer Coordinator.

B. Appeal of Transcript Evaluations

1. After receiving an official copy of their transfer evaluation from the Transfer Coordinator,

students shall have thirty (30) days from the date that the official evaluation was forwarded

to the student to appeal all or any portion of the evaluation.

2. All appeals must be in writing and addressed to the Dean of the School/College in which

their major is located (or the Dean for the College of Liberal Arts where no major has been

declared).

3. The Dean shall review the issues raised in the appeal letter and deter mine whether an

amendment to the original transfer evaluation is warranted. The Dean may require a

student to provide additional information including, but not limited to, course

descriptions,catalogs, and syllabi.

4. The Dean shall provide a written response to the transfer student within thirty (30) days

of receipt of the student's written appeal.

5. Students who fail to appeal in writing within thirty (30) days of the date that the official

evaluation was forwarded to them shall be deemed to have lost their right to appeal.

III. Definitions

A. Terms defined:

1. "AA degree" means the Associate of Arts degree.

2. "A.A.S. degree" means the Associate of Applied Sciences degree.

3. "Arts" means courses that examine aesthetics and the development of the aesthetic form

and explore the relationship between theory and practice. Courses in this area may include

fine arts,performing and studio arts,appreciation of the arts, and history of the arts.

4. "AS degree" means the Associate of Sciences degree.

5. "Biological and physical sciences" means courses that examine living systems and the

physical universe. They introduce students to the variety of methods used to collect,

interpret, and apply scientific data, and to an understanding of the relationship between

scientific theory and application.

6. "English composition courses" means courses that provide students with communication

knowledge and skills appropriate to various writing situations, including intellectual inquiry

and academic research.

7. "General education" means the foundation of the higher education curriculum providing

a coherent intellectual experience for all students.

8. "General education program" means a program that is designed to:

a. Introduce undergraduates to the fundamental knowledge, skills, and values that are

essential to the study of academic disciplines;

b. Encourage the pursuit of lifelong learning, and

c. Foster the development of educated members of the community and the world.

9. "Humanities" means courses that examine the values and cultural heritage that establish

the framework for inquiry into the meaning of life. Courses in the humanities may include

the language, history, literature, and philosophy of Western and other cultures.

10. "Mathematics" means courses that provide students with numerical, analytical,

statistical, and problem-solving skills.

11. "Native student" means a student whose initial college enrollment was at a given

institution of higher education and who has not transferred to another institution of higher

education since that initial enrollment.

12. "Parallel program" means the program of study or courses at one institution of higher

education which has comparable objectives as those at another higher education

institution,for example, a transfer program in psychology in a community college is

definable as a parallel program to a baccalaureate psychology program at a 4-year

institution of higher education.

13. "Receiving institution" means the institution of higher education at which a transfer

student currently desires to enroll.

14. "Recommended transfer program" means a planned program of courses , both general

education and courses in the major, taken at a community college, which is applicable to a

baccalaureate program at a receiving institution, and ordinarily the first 2 years of the

baccalaureate degree.

15. "Sending institution" means the institution of higher education of most recent previous

enrollment by a transfer student at which transferable academic credit was earned.

16. "Social and behavioral sciences" means courses that examine the psychology of

individuals and the ways in which individuals, groups, or segments of society behave,

function,and influence one another. The courses include, but are not limited to, subjects

which focus on:

a. History and cultural diversity;

b. Concepts of groups, work, and political systems;

c. Applications of qualitative and quantitative data to social issues; and

d. Interdependence of individuals, society, and the physical environment.

17. "Transfer student" means a student entering an institution for the first time with

academic credit earned at another institution which is applicable for credit at the institution

the student is entering.

IV. International Students and Veterans

Additional guidelines,in addition to and at times different from those provided in this policy

may affect the evaluation of transfer credits for international students and veterans.

International and veteran students should consult relevant sections of the Morgan State

University Catalog and should schedule an appointment with the appropriate Transfer

Coordinator for more information.

International Students

Morgan State University is authorized by the United States Department of State and the

Office of Immigration to accept students who wish to enter this country possessing an F-1

(Student) Visa or an Exchange Visitor Visa.

1. To apply to Morgan, international students must submit the following materials by April

15 for the Fall semester and October 15 for the Spring semester:

a . Completed application with a $25 nonrefundable FEE in U. S. dollars, in the form of a

money order or certified check (made payable to Morgan State University), to the Office of

Admissions. DO NOT SEND CASH! The penalty for falsifying this application or its

supporting documents is rejection by this University.

b. Official certificates of all secondary and college work as well as copies of results on

national examinations (G.C.E., etc.).

c. Applicants from non-English-speaking countries must submit the Test of English as a

Foreign Language (TOEFL).

2. Applicants are required to certify that they are able to support themselves for the first

year of study at Morgan. Financial aid is severely limited for students from abroad. Private

scholarships/grants from outside the University's regular financial aid program are the

usual source of such aid.

3. The I-20 form (Certificate of Eligibility) is not issued until the applicant has been

accepted by the Office of Admission.

Mature Students

Any student out of school continuously for three years or more is admitted regardless of the

previous college or high school record.

Special Students

The special student category is designed to provide an opportunity to take courses at

Morgan State University for professional or personal advancement. The special student is

not a degree candidate.

Veteran Students

Students who are eligible for benefits under the Veterans Educational Assistance Act must

notify the University each semester that they are enrolled so they may be certified to receive

the appropriate benefits.

Students who have never applied for benefits must submit an application (VA Form 22-

1990) along with a copy of their DD 214 and all documents necessary to support evidence of

dependency.

There will be a designated area during the registration period where you may request your

V.A. certification.

CONTINUING STUDENTS who are receiving veterans benefits will be eligible for advance

payment. Advance payment is offered when a veteran student first applies for benefits or

when a veteran student returns after missing semesters. An enrollment certification should

be completed in the Office of Records and Registration 60 days prior to the registration

period. Continuous payment will be offered to the continuing student for the remainder of

his/her enrollment. Veteran students must meet the same admission standards as all other

students. Since it takes 60 days or more to clear a V.A. application for educational benefits,

new students are urged to apply to the Admissions Office for acceptance as early as possible.

A copy of the letter of acceptance MUST be presented to the Office of Records and

Registration in order to apply for veteran's educational benefits.

TRANSFER APPLICANTS from other colleges or universities MUST advise their local V.A.

office by filing "A Change of Program or Place of Training" (22-1995) form. In order to

receive an advance payment check, the student must file at least 60 days prior to Morgan's

registration.

REPORTING UNSATISFACTORY PROGRESS OF VETERAN STUDENTS

"NC" GRADES

Veterans are not eligible to receive educational benefits for courses in which a grade of

"NC"has been assigned. A "NC" grade in a course will reduce the veteran's total number of

credit hours pursued for any given semester. Should the reduction result in a change in

enrollment status reported in his original certification, the Veterans Administration will be

duly notified of the credit hour change.

V.A. 'I' GRADE POLICY

The Veterans Administration's "I" grade policy affects payments to V.A. students. The

Veterans Administration policy states that "I" grades must be made up within one (1)

calendar year from the date the "I" grade was earned. Failure to do so within the allotted

time will result in an overpayment which the student must repay to the V.A. because the

V.A. does not pay for courses in which "I" grades are earned. Any questions about the V.A.

"I" grade should be directed to the V.A. Certification Officer, Office of Records and

Registration, 443.885.3257. Please refer to "I" grade policy on page 30 of catalog.

UNIVERSITY ACTION

Veterans who are placed on Academic Probation or officially dropped from the University

for any reason will be reported to the Veterans Administration within (30) days of the

University's action.

CHANGE IN ENROLLMENT

IT IS THE VETERAN'S RESPONSIBILITY TO NOTIFY THE OFFICE OF RECORDS OF

ANY CHANGES IN COURSE LOAD THAT MAY AFFECT HIS MONTHLY ALLOTMENT.

Timely reporting of such changes will prevent subsequent charges of over payment by the

Veterans Administration. Should a veteran know in advance that he/she will be returning

for any succeeding semester or summer session,it is his/her responsibility to notify the

Office of Records and Registration that he/she is desirous of being certified continuously.

Moreover, should a veteran be certified for any given semester or summer session and not

attend or withdraw, it is his responsibility to notify the Office of Records and Registration.

TRANSFER STUDENTS

Students transferring from other colleges must present to the VA certifying official of

Morgan State University a copy of their official transcript from all other institutions for

which educational benefits were paid.

STUDENT STATUS

All persons requesting certification for educational benefits must be matriculating students

pursuing courses leading toward an academic degree. A SPECIAL STUDENT IS NOT

CONSIDERED TO BE MATRICULATING.

ADMISSION TO DEGREE PROGRAMS

Admission to the University does not constitute admission to particular degree programs.

Students should contact individual departments or deans in appropriate schools for policies

and procedures for admission to degree programs.